The present invention relates to an external side or rear view mirror for a motor vehicle, including a housing that accommodates a mirror panel and is provided with two swivel pins that are disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and in an operative position of use of the mirror, are disposed in journal means such that the housing, about an axis defined by one of the swivel pins, can be swiveled, in either of two opposite directions, out of the operative position, in which the housing is disposed essentially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and into a swiveled end position in which the housing is disposed essentially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
This ability of the housing, along with the mirror panel that is disposed therein, to be able to swivel is advantageous; in the event that the mirror is bumped or struck, the mirror housing can deflect in one or the other direction, thereby generally also preventing damage to the mirror.
Pursuant to the present invention, this possibility for being able to deflect the mirror housing should be maintained, while at the same time making it possible for the housing to be retained in the pivoted position (at least in a position that is approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle), in order in this way to be able to allocate to the mirror a so-called park position.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to embody a mirror of the aforementioned general type in such a way that it can be moved into a position that is parallel t o the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and can be retained in this position.